New York, January 5, 2026, 09:54 EST — Regular session
- Chevron shares rose nearly 4% early Monday on headlines tied to U.S. moves in Venezuela.
- Refiners and other energy names climbed as traders assessed potential changes to heavy-crude flows.
- Investors now watch for policy details and Chevron’s Jan. 30 earnings call.
Chevron shares jumped on Monday after President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of Venezuela following the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and that U.S. oil companies would help rebuild the country’s oil industry. The stock was up 3.8% at $161.87 in early trade, after touching $171.50 soon after the open. Trump said an embargo on Venezuelan oil exports would remain in place for now. 1
The headlines matter for Chevron because any shift in U.S. policy toward Venezuela would put a premium on speed and existing relationships. For producers, the upside is access to reserves and projects; for refiners, it is about feedstock.
Venezuelan crude is often described as “heavy sour” — thick and sulfur-rich — the kind of oil many U.S. Gulf Coast refineries were built to process. That linkage helps explain why the move spilled beyond drillers into refining names.
The rally was not confined to Chevron. Exxon Mobil was up 1.6% and ConocoPhillips rose 4.1%, while refiner Valero gained 9.2% in early trade. Wall Street opened higher more broadly, with the S&P 500 up about 0.5% at the bell. 2
Investors are still trying to separate tradable headlines from the operational grind of restoring output. Venezuela’s oil industry has suffered from years of sanctions and underinvestment, and any meaningful ramp would likely require time, capital and clearer rules.
“While the capture of Venezuelan president Maduro by American forces has dominated headlines, financial markets seem unperturbed,” Thomas Mathews of Capital Economics said in a report. Venezuela’s current oil output is about 1.1 million barrels a day, and some analysts expect it could rise sharply if investment returns, the report noted. 3
But the fast money risk is straightforward: the policy path may not match the market’s first reaction. With the embargo still in place, traders said the timeline for any change — and who benefits most — remains the key uncertainty.
The next test for the trade is whether Washington provides specifics on licenses, sanctions and oversight that would govern any corporate return. Refiners will also watch heavy-crude price spreads and product margins, which can swing quickly when supply assumptions shift.
Chevron said it will hold its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings conference call on Friday, January 30, at 11:00 a.m. ET, with CEO Mike Wirth and CFO Eimear Bonner scheduled to speak. The event could become a focal point for questions on Venezuela exposure, capital commitments and shareholder returns. 4
Until then, traders will track any formal U.S. steps on Venezuela policy and whether Chevron’s early spike can hold as the headline premium fades. The next clear catalyst for CVX is that January 30 earnings call.
